Mouthpiece of wind musical instruments



1933- w. GEMEINHARDT I 1,896,814

MOUTHPIECE OF WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Feb. 4, 1928 I N V EN TOR. k A LTER GENE/N HA 231 ATTORNEY],

Patented Feb. 7, 1933 PATENT OFFICE WALTER GEMEINHARDT, on NEW YORK, n. Y.

MOUTHPIECE 01 WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Application filed February 4, 1928.

This invention relates to improvements in wind musical instruments of the reed type and is particularly directed to the mouthpiece whereby the proper volume of air may 5 be regulated without removing the reed from the lay.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide the mouthpiece of a wind muslcal instrument with means for flexing and malntaining the end of the reed in proper position on the lay without removing the said mouth piece or reed.

In order to more fully understand and appreciate my invention, it is important to point out certain practices and conditlons pertaining to the use of reeds in mouthpieces for wind instruments, such as the saxophone, clarinet and instruments of a similar type. The reeds employed are usually made of bamboo and are not always uniform as to shape, thickness and resiliency. The experienced musician usually selects from a large number of reeds, those which appear to be most suitable for the removable mouthpiece. After a desired reed is once positioned on the lay of the mouthpiece, it is not always feasible to remove it, particularly during the period of use and also when it is found to be especially adapted to the lay. However, after extended use, and when the reed becomes more or less saturated with the moisture from the mouth, the tip of the reed begins to sag somewhat to conform with the curvature of the tip of the mouthpiece with the result that the proper volume of air is not had. One of the practices followed is to insert a sharp instrument, such as a piece of celluloid between the reed and the mouthpiece and flex or straighten the red at the tip. Of course, this is not satisfactory for the reason that it does not prevent the sagging of the reed and it does not regulate the air space required of a good wind instrument.

In order to overcome the above objections, I have devised a novel and improved ligature in conjunction with a modified form of mouthpiece whereby the reed may be flexed at the tip and maintained in a true, flat plane and in spacd relation with the curved tip of Serial No. 251,894.

the mouthpiece without removing the same or the reed from the instrument.

To enable others skilled in the art to more fully comprehend the underlying features of my invention, reference is bad to the accompanying drawing wherein Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational View of a wind instrument to which my invention is applied.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the mouthpiece showing the reed in its normal position.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing separately the mouthpiece, reed, ligature and cap or guard.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts of the several views, 5 designates the tubular end portion of any musical wind in strument of the reed type such as the saxo phone, clarinet, etc. having the usual removable mouth piece 6. The reduced end 7 of the mouth piece may be provided with a cork collar 8. The shape of the mouth piece, however, is immaterial, in so far as the gist of the invention is concerned. As is common in mouth pieces of this type of instrument, there is an entrance opening 9 extending from the slightly curved tip 10 and over which the reed 11 is positioned. Under ordinary conditions, the mouth piece is cut to provide a flat lay 12 which is substantially the length of the fiat reed 11 as shown. The end 13 of the reed tapers to a thin edge which lies directly over the opening 9 of the mouth piece so that when a flat reed is positioned 5 on the lay, a slight space for the entrance of air is afforded between the extreme outer edge 14 of the reed and the beveled tip 10. It is therefore desirable that the flat surface or bottom of the reed be maintained in a flat condition at all times in order that the required air volume may be had as is well known.

Referring particularly to Fig. 3, it will be noted that the mouth piece is provided with a substantially wide, transverse, undercut, groove 15 across the lay so that when the reed is positioned there is a slight space between the bottom of the reed and the lay proper, the purpose of which will now be explained. The reed is maintained in position by a cylindrical ligature which, consisting of an arcuate'plate which partly encircles the bottom and top of the mouthpiece and from the sides has straps or bands 16, 17 connected together as at 18 and extending completely around the body of the mouthpiece. One band is slightly larger than the other to frictionally fit over the slightly tapered mouth piece as is well known. The split ligature is provided with suitable eyes 19, 20 located on respective split bands 16, 17 and opposite to each eye are threaded eyes 21, 22 adapted to receive the threaded shanks 23, of tightening screws 24 which lock and secure the reed in position on the lay. The split ligature is provided with an intermediate eye 26, and a threaded eye 25 for a threaded tightening screw 27. The intermediate tightening screw 27 of the ligature is located so as to be directly over the trans verse undercut groove 15 when the ligature is properly positioned on the mouth piece of the instrument as shown clearly by Fig. 2 of the drawing.

Under ordinary conditions, the tightening screws 24 are sufiicient to properly maintain the reed on the lay in a flat condition. However, when the tip and thin portion of the lay becomes saturated with moisture, and begins to sag, in other words, conforming to the curvilinear shape of the tip 10 of the mouth piece and closing or partly closing the air entrance opening, an adjustment becomes necessary. v Consequently by loosening. the tightening screw 24, of the band or ring 17, pressure may be exerted on the reed by tightening the intermediate tightening screw 27 with the result that the undercut, transverse groove 15 permits the reed to be bent or slightly flexed thus maintaining the proper space between the tip and the reed at the air entrance opening. In this manner, adjustment may be effected to precise degrees by tightening or loosening the intermediate tightening screw 27 as is desired by the player. The tightening screw 24 on the band 16 of the ligature remains in its tightening position at all times except when it is desired to remove a reed and replace it with a new one. The ligature does not in any way affect the positioning of a cap 28 provided with the usual recess 29. It will thus be seen that when the ligature is first positioned it is only necessary to tighten the end screws to retain the reed on the lay. It therefore only becomes necessary toemploy the inter,- mediate tightening screw when adjustment is desired, as when the reed becomes saturated and bends or fiexes at the tip.

It will thus be seen that by employing my invention it is possible to use a new reed upon the lay of the mouth piece in the ordinary relationship that such reed would have with the mouthpiece without the employment of my invention. It will also be seen that a great many more new reeds will be available for use with the mouth piece constructed according to my invention inasmuch as such additional reeds can by slight adjustment, in accordance with my invention, be made to suit the mouth piece. It will also be seen that by employing my invention the life of the reed will be materially longer in co-operation'with the mouth piece because my invention permits the adjustments to ac commodate the changes in the reed incident to use. So that it will be seen that my invention enables a very wide range of use of reeds including the use of the new reed in the normal position upon the lay of the mouth piece as now found on the market and an infinite number of adjustments in addition thereto both in connection with new and used reeds. The employment of my invention will also make unnecessary the re-facing of the lay.

which is now a practice commonly resorted to by musicians in the belief that with a different facing or lay they may be able to select a greater number of suitable reeds for the mouth piece.

While I have shown and described my invention with some degree of particularity, it will be realized that other modifications and changes may be resorted to under special conditions. I therefore do not wish to be limited or restricted to the exact details shown and described, but reserve the right to make such changes and alterations as may fairly fall within the scope of the subject matter.

Having shown and described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A mouthpiece for musical wind instruments having a lay, said lay having a depression transversely thereof, a split ligature for clamping a reed on said lay, said ligature comprising two connected bands'and means for tightening said bands, and additional means carried by said ligature for exerting pressure on said reed at a point directly over the depression portion whereby the end of said reed may be maintained in spaced relation to the tip of the mouthpiece.

2. A mouthpiece for musical wind instruments having a lay, said lay having a depression transversely thereof, a split ligature for clamping a reed on said lay, said ligature comprising two connected bands, tightening screws for said bands'and an intermediate tightening screw carried by said ligature for exerting pressure on said reedat a point directly over the depression portion when one of the first mentioned tightening screws is loose to maintain the end of said reed in spaced relation to the tip of the mouthpiece.

3. A mouthpiece for musical wind instruments having a lay. provided with a transversely disposed groove set back from the 

